The Cedartown High years

Nick Chubb was born in Cedartown, Georgia, on December 27, 1995. A born athlete, Chubb showed promise in football and track & field. His athleticism and energy are part of why the Browns fans have taken him to heart – it infects the entire team, and this was something Chubb seemed to have ingrained in him.

He went to Cedartown High School in Georgia and was allowed to showcase his sporting talents here for the Bulldogs' many teams. Regarding track & field, he was entirely into the sport for four good years, competing at a high level in 100-meter events, 200-meter events, shot put, and long jump.

He was setting Georgia records in football as a junior, amassing 2,721 yards with 38 touchdowns. He kept improving as a senior before having to make a choice. Despite being just as impressive at track & field, he was leaning towards football.

It was never going to be an easy choice because he was ranked as a four-star recruit by Rivals.com and Scout.com. There was no guarantee that he would make it, but he decided and eventually headed to the University of Georgia.

Another Five Years in Georgia

Now that he had committed to football, there was no turning back. Mark Richt was the head coach of the football team at the University of Georgia, and it took a while for Chubb to get the nod as a starter.

Todd Gurley was preferred initially, but a suspension to the running back gave Chubb his chance, and he took it. Chubb's first-ever game starting for the Bulldogs was against the Missouri Tigers in 2014, where he rushed for 143 yards on 38 carries.

His highlight in those early years was an excellent performance in the Belk Bowl against Louisville in 2014. He won the MVP award for that game and managed 266 rushing yards, a Belk Bowl record. He had only started eight games that year but had shown much promise in those games and wound up his freshman season with 1547 rushing yards, which is the fourth-highest for a single season in the school's history, and 14 touchdowns.

Chubb walked away with several laurels in his rookie season - he was named the SEC Freshman of the week five times and once was named SEC Offensive Player of the week. His seasonal average of 119 rushing yards per game was second overall in the SEC and at 7.1 yards per carry, ranking first among the SEC's top ten rushers.

The challenges didn't stop, as the 2015 season was hampered by a knee injury that kept him out for almost all of that season. He was forced to start again when it looked like he had gotten his break into the college football team. Despite starting for only six games, he set a school record by rushing a minimum of 100 yards in 13 consecutive games when he rushed 146 yards on 20 carries against Alabama. At the end of the season, he was inducted into the UGA's Leadership Education and Development (LEAD) program.

The worrying signs didn't stop there. It seemed like he was getting up to speed again in the 2016 season, but his return was cut short after just two games because of a sprained ankle. The team's form without Chubb wasn't great, however. Everyone around the team saw his value. He returned that season with the same outstanding performances, the most memorable of which was a game against TCU at the Liberty Bowl, where he managed 142 yards and hit a game-winning touchdown.

Overall, he made 13 starts in 11 games, rushed 1,130 yards on 224 carries, averaging 5 per carry and eight touchdowns, and ended as the team's leading rusher. With 3424 rushing yards now under his belt since the start of his college career, Chubb was now only behind Hershel Walker as the UGA's No. 2 all-time rusher.

Despite limited minutes on the field, he was constantly breaking records when he was on the field. Chubb could've entered the NFL draft but gave himself another year, which seems like a wise decision in hindsight. Georgia was in excellent form this year and won an SEC title with a 12-1 record. His standout performance was against Oklahoma in the Rose Bowl, which included a 50-yard touchdown.

Chubb finished the season with 1345 rushing yards on 223 carries, an average of 6 per carry, and 15 touchdowns. He was named a semifinalist for the Maxwell Award, the college's annual award for their top player. He ended his career with the Bulldogs with 4,769 rushing yards, the second-highest on the UGA and Southeastern Conference lists of all-time career highs. It's also the 39th-best rushing record in the history of college football.

Ultimately, Chubb would record 100 yards or more in 24 games with the Bulldogs. His career total of 41 rushing touchdowns is the second-highest in the school's history. Chubb would cross 1000 rushing yards for the third time in his college career, becoming the only Bulldogs player to achieve this apart from Hershel Walker.

Chubb had proved himself at the College level, and it was now time to take the plunge. He entered the NFL draft and was the 35th overall pick in the second round. Having spent all his life there, he would finally leave Georgia for Cleveland.

Becoming a Browns Favorite

Nick Chubb signed for the Cleveland Browns on June 4, 2018, for $7.4 million on a four-year rookie deal, with the contract including a $3.4 million signing bonus. He had finally made it to the NFL despite all the challenges in his college football days. His talent and will had overcome the obstacles.

As was evident in his time with the Bulldogs, Chubb was a very efficient player. In his first season for the Browns, he became only the fourth player to go past 100 rushing yards with three or fewer carries.

Once again, he wasn't handed an immediate starting berth. He was initially behind Carlos Hyde and Duke Johnson, which was the ideal way to go about things. Chubb had had his share of injuries in the past and shared minutes even in college. This was a great way of easing him in, and Chubb delivered whenever he was called upon.

He would become a starter after Hyde was traded to the Jacksonville Jaguars. There was no going back now – he had to become the leading man. Less than a month after becoming the team's starter, he managed a 92-yard rushing touchdown against the Atlanta Falcons. That track & field athleticism was showing itself on the NFL stage. It was the longest rushing touchdown in the franchise's history.

He had an impressive rookie year, finishing just behind Saquon Barkley and Phillip Lindsay for touchdowns with eight for the season. He also amassed 92 carries for 996 rushing yards, 20 receptions for 149 receiving yards, and two touchdowns.

After an impressive first season, he continued to catch the eye in his second season with a special performance against the Ravens, which included three touchdowns in Week 4. By Week 11, he was on top of the rushing yards charts, and his impressive performances earned him a Pro Bowl nomination. He couldn’t end the season with the most rushing yards, but second place was no slight on what had been an outstanding year for the young running back.

Despite his impressive performances for two seasons, the Browns could still not make it to the playoffs. That was finally about to change in his third season, but there were a few hiccups this season. After having an injury-riddled college football career, it was a pleasant surprise to see that he hadn't suffered any significant injuries in his first two years as an NFL running back for the Cleveland Browns.

The injury-free run halted in Week 4 of the 2020 NFL season. He returned in Week 10 and went on a great run of form. The injuries didn't stop him from getting another Pro Bowl nomination, either. He ended the season with 1,067 rushing yards and 12 rushing touchdowns.

The highlight of that season was yet to come, however. His 40-yard touchdown catch against the Pittsburgh Stealers ensured the Browns would win their first playoff game in 1994. The Browns were also making their first playoff appearance since 2002. Chubb was one of the many heroes on the day and for that entire season. The Browns fans have been very loyal despite the team's average performances for a few decades.

For his efforts, Chubb was rewarded with a new three-year deal in 2021 worth $36.6m. He had to miss a few games the following season, but this wasn't as much of an issue this season.

He made a quick return and once again made it to the Pro Bowl. For another season, he finished second on the rushing yards charts. In 2022, he made another great start to a new season, with the expectations on him on the bigger side than they had ever been, as the Browns had invested quite heavily in the team before the season began.

Baker Mayfield had left, and Deshaun Watson had been unavailable until Matchweek 13 after being a marquee signing. Despite some of the controversies surrounding that move, given Watson's reasons for being suspended, Watson was still one of the top quarterbacks in the league, and the Browns fans had been eager to see what sort of relationship would develop with the likes of Chubb.

Chubb had arguably been one of the most thoughtful picks on either side of the year in which he arrived, as he soon became a consistent force for them after joining the franchise in 2018. Along with Kareem Hunt, Chubb formed a dynamic partnership on the ground, with many experts believing that the Browns had the best running team in the league heading into 2022. Some of them even believed it to be true for more than just that season.

Chubb had also helped make the running game get back into vogue again, with passing offenses preferred by most teams today. Cleveland Browns coach Kevin Stefanski was among the people who were credited by fans and experts alike for helping Chubb stick to his strengths.

Nick Chubb Profile: Recap

Nick Chubb has been a supreme athlete, and the Cleveland Browns have seen the benefits. He was brought up in Georgia and represented the Bulldogs team throughout his high school and college years.

Despite suffering a few injuries in college, his talent never let him down. He has been one of the smartest picks in the NFL draft over the years and had put his team in a position where it would only be a matter of time before they used his services to get to the latter stages of the NFL playoffs.

He was widely considered the best running back in the league during his time with the Browns, particularly with a quarterback like Watson on the roster. His energy made him a favorite among the Cleveland Browns faithful, and there's almost no doubt he'll be remembered as a franchise legend in the coming years. He has also been in the Pro Bowl for three consecutive years.

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